Process of treating tobacco-leaf



UNITED srargi 5m OFFICE.

.rosn san'rraeo vrnnaoonrn, or sun innnronso, BuLacAN, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS,

rnoonss or 'rnnnrme roencco-nnhr.

No Drawing.

T 0 all whom it may 00mm;

'Be it known that 1, Josh S. VILLAconrA, a'

citizen of the United States, residing at San Ildefonso, Bulacan,Philippine Islands, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treating Tome co-Leaf; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in the treatment of tobacco. leaf in order to render the ordinary leaf suitable for cigar wrapping purposes, and to do away with the necessity and expense of employing'highpriced and specially grown tobacco leaves for wrappers for cigars.

dinicotinizing and bleaching process should be broad, of medium thickness, thoroughly cured, and as free from physical defects as possible that is,more especially it should not be torn or have holes therein. During the experiments four varieties of tobacco were used, viz: Sumatra wrapper, tirona hybrid, Connecticut broad leaf (raised by the College of Agriculture, University. of the Philippines) and Isabela wrapper, all of which have been bought from the Philippine markets. Any tobacco leaf, however, will serve the purpose, provided it is well cured and free from physical defects. The treatment complete comprises two distinct processes, the one mechanical, the other 1. eel zcmical process.

The leaf so selected is to be divided into halves by cutting it through the midrib starting from the distal down to the proximal end. In order to facilitate the division, the leaf should be moistened with water. The leaf thus divided into halves is pressed between two sheets of paper, in or der to remove the excess of moisture.

The next step is to place the leaf on a sheet of abrasive glass paper and pound it lightly with a rubber hammer with soft round head, or roll it with a small heavy roller. This process is necessary in order to produce minute holes or bruises all over the surface, so as to insure a thorough penetra- V Specification of Letters I, aient jfl fi ted D '20 192 Applicationfiled August 9, SerialNo. 480,975. I

longed immersion.

"2. Chemical process.

The chemical process is conducted in successive steps, which are enumerated below, for the sake of convenience. a

First step.The pressedand gently bruised are immersed in clean water,'preferably distilled water, for twenty-four v hoursychanging, however, the water at the end of the first ten hours. This is necessary because the nicotin or other soluble substances, if not removed, will inv V v terfere with, the oxidizing action of the so? The tobacco leafto be"'subjected to the diuin-chloridpotassium-permanganate solution. Y I

Second step-The leaves are carefully and thoroughly washed in a basin with tap water until the washings run out clear.

Third step-Thelea'ves are then trans ferred to :a'solutionof sodium-chlorid (one gram of NACL, to 1,000 cc. of water, preferably distilled water) containing potassium permanganate in the proportion of 4.5 grams per thousand. Two leaves, zle. four halves should be placed in one liter of such solution and allowed to remain there from one and a half tothree hours, depending upon, the degree and extent of bleaching which is desired. a r

After, this oxidi zation, the semi-translucent color of the leaf, after dinicotinization, becomes opaque and dark. This change of coior may be used as a guide asto length of exposure -tofloxidization 1 T he above mentioned solution may be used three or four times without exhausting its oxidizing properties. This is to economize expense in the use of potassium permanganate.

Fourth ste79.After the exposure, as described in the next preceding step, the leaves are washed again as described in the second step. After this the leaves are immersed in a 5.5 grams per thousand solution of oxalic acid with 1 cc. of citric acid, or 2 cc. ofiemon juice to the liter. Four half leaves should be placed in one liter of such solution from 45 minutes to 2 hours, after which they are to be washed again leaves thus divided,

as described in the second step. It is of paramount importance that the washings after exposure to the chemical solutions as described in the third and fourth steps should be carried out well, thoroughlyand with extreme care in order to insure a'complete and absolute freedom from even the minutest trace of any chemical element on the tobacco leaf. During the processof immersion, either in water or chemical solu tions, air bubbles should be avoided from being kept under or between the leaves, because the portions of the leaf covered bythe bubbles will'not be affected by the chemicals.

l iftit step.irl fter this last washing the leaves are hung up for awhile to allow the excess of water to dribble down. After this the leaves are placed between two sheets of paper, such as Chinese paper or the ordinary blotting paper, and pressed 7 down for a period of time, suflicient for the absorption otthe excess of water by the paper, but the leaves should not be left there until they become dry, otherwise they will be too brittle to be used for the cigar wrapper.

In this still damp condition the'leaves are ready for cigar-wrapper purposes.

- The commercial. purpose of the process above described is to nnprove theappearmade in the mode of treatment and the.-

length of treatment, and 'thc proportions of the various ingredients in the chemicals used; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particulaily pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention wha any excess of chemicals.

I claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A process for the treatment oftobacco which comprises (a) bruising or destroying the continuity of the leaf surface, (6) washing to remove the nicotin and soluble substances, (c) treating with an oxidizing compound, and (cl) washing to remove any excess of chemicals. 7

2. A process for the treatment of tobacco which comprises (a) bruising or destroying the continuity of the leaf surface, (7)) washing to remove the nicotin and soluble substances, treating with a solution of po tassium .permanganate, (kl) neutralizing with a solution of oxalic and citric acids, and (6) washing to remove any excess of chemicals.

3. A process for the treatment of tobacco which comprises (a) bruising or destroyingthe continuity of the leaf surface, (b) wash ing to remove the nicotin and solublesubstances, (0) trea'ting'with a solution of potassium permanganate and sodium chlorid,

(cZ) neutralizing with a solution of oxalic washing to remove and citric acids, and (c) a. A process for the treatme'ntof tobacco which comprises (a) bruising or destroying the continuity of the'lea'f surface, (6) washing to remove the nicotin and soluble substances, treating with a solution of potassium permanganate of approximately 4.5 7 grams per thousand, '(d) neutralizing and bleaching with'a solution of oxalic and citric I ac1ds,'and (a) wash ng to remove any excess of chemicals. 7 V

5. A process for the treatment of tobacco. which comprises (a) bruising or destroy- 7 ing the continuity of the leaf surfaces, (7)) washing to remove the nicotin andsoluble substances, (0) treating; with a solution of potassium permanganate and sodium chlorid,comprising about 4-.5 grams per thousand of permanganate, andab'out 1 gram per thousand. of sodium chlorid, (c1) neutralizing'and bleaching with a solution of oxalic and citric acids, and (e) washing to remove any excess of chernlcals.

JOSE SANTIAGO VILLACORTi-L 

